Frank Rooney

Omaha Police Department — Omaha, NE

Felonious

End of Watch January 31, 1918

Age 36

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 33 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 24

Incident

Detective Frank Rooney succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day when he and several other officers raided a house at 3207 N 14th Avenue. They were investigating the robbery of a jewelry store on Dodge Street during which $15,000 in jewelry had been stolen. In a resulting gunfight Detective Rooney was mortally wounded and two suspects were wounded. Five suspects were taken into custody at the scene. An additional suspect who escaped was captured several weeks later. Detective Rooney was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital where he died the following day. All six suspects were charged with Detective Rooney's murder. Two were convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison. One of them was pardoned by the Governor one year later. The other suspect was paroled on November 21, 1928. Detective Rooney served with the Omaha Polie Department for 10 years. He was survived by his wife and daughter. He is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Omaha, Nebraska.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-6BE59425
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Rooney gave the Omaha Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Omaha community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Rooney.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Omaha Police Department

Location Omaha, NE

Platform Identity opd.douglas.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 31, 1918

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Sentenced to 20 years

Detective Frank Rooney is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 10 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Omaha Police Department, 21 of 25 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84% of this agency's fallen.

Omaha Police Department

of 25 officers

84% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious